Shape Shifters
by Trisana Tennant
Summary: One day, Arthur finds several nations capable of shape shifting. The effect snowballed from there. Pretty soon, all were capable of it, and of the magic it took to do it. May add more if requested.
1. Chapter 1

Ivan arrived at the conference room, 20 minutes early. A guitar was playing. He walked inside, Alfred was the one playing. A window was open. He moved to close it. Alfred stopped. "Please don't close the window, and don't let anybody else close it. I need it open."

"Okay, Alfred." Ivan said. He turned around; Alfred was just dressed in a huge American flag, his clothes laid folded on the table. He heard a laugh, then a flutter of wings. He turned to see an eagle fly out the window. His eyes narrowed. "Somebody has been practicing magic behind our backs." Two polar bears padded into the room.

"Who?" one asked the other. The other reared, turning around and running out. Several minutes later, Matthew ran in. Arthur looked at him from his seat, which he had just taken.

"Hmm, somebody has been into my magic books."

Matthew trembled. At that moment, other nations started filing in. "Where's America?" Ludwig asked. Ivan glanced at the window as an eagle flew in. It circled once, and then landed on his arm.

Arthur frowned at the stack of clothes on the table, then at the bird on Ivan's arm. His frown grew deeper when, as if to confirm his thoughts, Ivan pecked the bird on the beak. The bird ruffled its feathers, shocked, but did not fly off, like a normal one would have. They all watched as the Russian gathered the stack of clothes and stood up. The bird flew off his arm and settled back down on his shoulder, nibbling his ear with affection. Gilbert and Gilbird glared as they left.

"Something tells me I know who that eagle is." Arthur said. "I'm not happy with him at all."

Several minutes later, Alfred walked in. Arthur got to his feet. "Alfred, you and Matthew have some explaining to do."

The twins glanced at each other. "It was an accident." Matthew began.

"Turning into creatures isn't an accident."

"That's not what I meant. The first time we did magic was an accident."

"Explain."

"Kumajirou was hurt. Mattie healed him."

"Healed him?"

"It was amazing. Kumajirou was bleeding and then Mattie touched him. It was gone and healed up, just like that."

"Matthew, can you heal all species or just non-humans?"

"I can't heal Tony. I can't heal humans or nations. So just non-humanoids."

"Can you summon animals?"

"Yes."

"Let me see. Do you see that cat of Greece's?"

"Yes."

"Don't call it to aloud, close your eyes and feel for the cat."

Matthew closed his eyes; he could feel Alfred's curiosity and his nervousness. Reaching further, he felt himself come into contact with the cat. However the cat's mind was entwined with Heracles'.

'Sorry, Heracles,' He thought to the other nation. 'I need to borrow the cat.' He felt the other's mind break contact and he thought of fish, making the cat come to him.

"Congratulations. You did it."

His eyes open at Arthur's statement. Heracles had his eyes open, staring at him. It hit him. "Greece is one, too. His is limited to cats only, mine is open to all." He saw the other nation nod. Arthur frowned.

"Alfred?"

"Weather."

"Come again?"

"We're both shape shifters and I can control the weather."

"I see."

Ivan entered as Alfred closed his eyes. He bumped against the younger man, causing him to set Arthur on fire. "Bloody hell! You git! I'm on fire!"

Alfred's eyes flew open and a rain cloud darkened the air above Arthur's head. It erupted, putting out the fire.

"You are forgiven." Arthur said. "I realize Russia distracted you. So where have you two been learning magic? My books haven't been touched."

Heracles spoke up. "I have been working with Matthew a little; I think Alfred just learns on his own."

"I'll be teaching you both from here on. Alfred? Alfred? ALFRED!"

Alfred jumped. Ivan had distracted him again, this time by standing by the window, allowing the sunlight to fall on his hair and light him up with a glow. Ivan smiled as the American yelled "Yes, sir!"

"Let's see you both shape shift."

With a sigh, Matthew transformed into a polar bear and Alfred became an eagle again, perching in Matthew's fur.

"Who?" Kumajirou asked Matthew again.

"Can we get this meeting started?" Ludwig asked, frustrated.

"Gilbird, are you a human shape shifter, too?" Gilbert asked. Gilbird chirped and bit his nose. "Ow, you bit the awesome me!"

Arthur picked up Matthew's clothes and turned to Alfred. "Do you want to change for the meeting?"

The bird blinked twice.

"He doesn't want to." Heracles translated.

Ivan picked up Alfred's notes. "I'll read his notes," he said.

Arthur and Matthew left the room as Alfred perched back on Ivan's arm. The meeting started once the two returned. It was a quiet meeting. Whenever Alfred wanted to comment, he would nudge Ivan's arm, only to be kissed on the beak. After a while, he gave up, realizing his mind couldn't be read by his companion. He settled with squawking whenever there was a silence. After one loud one, he was silenced for the rest of the meeting when Arthur glared at him. Ivan stood up. Alfred, startled, flew away. Ivan made his way to the podium. Alfred circled once, and then landed on his head. Everybody laughed. A camera flashed.

"Alfred F. Jones! Get off his head this instant!" Arthur yelled.

Alfred moved to his shoulder. Ivan gave his own speech and then launched straight into Alfred's. At one point, his ear was bitten when he slipped into Russian, then back into English. The meeting was concluded when he finished. He gathered Alfred's clothes and walked into the restroom where the eagle flew into a stall.

"Ouch. I was in that shape for too long." Alfred said after he changed back. "May I have my clothes please?" He was handed one article at a time over the door as they discussed the meeting. He walked out, fully dressed. "You," he said, placing his hand on Ivan's arm, "need to learn to read my mind, no matter my form."

"Can Matthew read your mind?"

"Yes, he can."

They walked to Alfred's place, discussing the problem. Before they got too far, an obstacle stood in their way, a Natalya shaped obstacle. There was a pop, and Ivan was gone. Alfred found himself standing next to a nervous Russian Blue cat. He picked it up, kissing its head. It rubbed against him, purring. Alfred walked by, still holding the cat, and Ivan's clothes was folded up with his stuff. "I knew you had magic in you," he said, putting the cat down on his couch when they arrived. The cat leapt down and ran into another room.

"Alfred?"

"I'm bringing them."

"Thank you."

"So, how do you feel about becoming my student? Since that was your first time doing magic."

They stayed up all night doing magic. At the conference the next day, Alfred slept. A very tired Ivan took notes for both of them. Arthur started writing and passed a note to him.

"Your magic is very strong. When did it wake up?"

"Yesterday. Alfred was working with me all night."

"I see. Everybody in this room is capable of magic, most just don't acknowledge it."

Arthur walked up to the podium. He began to speak in another language. Before he knew it, he was looking at a room full of animals. He smiled, knowing what animal each nation could turn into. He sent them all to sleep and walked out, still smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

Alfred woke up with the feeling of a rough tongue licking his face. He laughed and it stopped. He opened his eyes. Looking around he saw he was the only one back to his real form. Everybody was still asleep, but the Russian Blue, who went back to washing his face. He hugged the cat and said "Ivan, I need to get dressed before anybody else gets up." He finished dressing as a red fox walked into the room. "Iggy?"

The fox glared at him.

"That's Iggy all right." He laughed to the cat in his lap. He put the cat on the table, which meowed at him, unhappily. "Look, there's a badger right over there, with a bird on its head." Ivan ignored him as he snuck up on the badger and pulled its tail. The badger woke up and turned into Gilbert, who swore in German loudly until a German Shepherd barked at him. Gilbert dressed, muttering under his breath as several cats hissed at Ludwig, who just barked again. Alfred, laughing like a maniac, picked up several stacks of clothes, made sure he picked up the right cat, and walked from the room, the fox and two polar bears following him. All but one polar bear and Alfred went into stalls, three voices asking for their clothing.

The four returned to the conference room. Most of the nations were up and dressed. A stork flew at Alfred, attacking him viciously. A giant panda sat and watched. "Ivan?" Arthur asked, seeing the expression on the larger nation's face.

Alfred sank to the floor. "Ukraine. Please help?" He cried as the female nation approached him, trying to capture the stork with a Belarusian flag.

"Natalya! Please stop!" She sobbed. Then a large orange paw knocked the bird from the air. "Ivan! Don't attack your sister!"

Natalya, shocked, transformed and was instantly covered by the large flag her sister was holding. Alfred glanced up to see a Siberian tiger standing over him. He sat up and put his arms around it, feeling the growl it released. "It's okay, Ivan," he whispered, burying his face in the fur. He released the tiger and picked up Ivan's coat, putting it over him as he transformed back also. Ivan pulled the coat closer to him, as Natalya shrieked at him in Russian. The reply was quiet, eventually the voices grew louder. Then a goat, an ibex actually, came flying out of nowhere, butting the siblings. Alfred caught Ivan, and Natalya fell into her sister's arms. The ibex retreated to the piano.

"Austria?" Arthur said, surprised. Roderich transformed, Elizabeta helping him keep covered, glaring at Gilbert. A pair of Italian wolves shifted around him, helping also.

Arthur went to the podium. "Roderich, if you would please get dressed. You too, Ivan. Feliciano, Lovino, Yao, Frog, please return to your normal forms."

A weasel glared at him, morphing into Francis. "Angleterre."

"Get dressed!"

Francis did, grumbling, as the giant panda exited, followed by the two wolves. Before too long everybody was in their original forms and Arthur was happy.

"Now, it's time for your first magic lesson."

Everybody groaned.

"Alfred, come here."

Alfred walked up.

"We're going to learn to summon fire."

Heracles, Matthew and Ivan sighed, holding out one hand.

"Hold out one hand, like you see Alfred doing. Good, now close your eyes. Close your eyes, Prussia. I see your eyes open, still. Gilbert, close your bloody eyes! Thank you. Now think about a burning fire. Open your eyes."

Alfred was holding a blue flame.

"How do you do that?" Antonio asked, impressed. The fire in his palm was a little spark.

"Alfred, don't show off!"

"Doitsu." Ludwig turned to Feliciano, the fire in his palm reaching his chin. "AHHHH!" Italy ran and hid behind Hungary. "Holy Roman!"

"Italy, that's Germany." She said.

"Sorry, Italy." He inspected the Italian's palm. There was no fire.

"I can't do it, Doitsu."

"Remember when you, Japan and I used to roast marshmallows? Think of that."

Italy had a small fire going before too long. "Nihon, look, I did it!"

"Very good, Italy-kun."

Suddenly the room's temperature rose drastically.

"YAO!"

"Ai ya! I'm sorry, aru!"

Alfred frowned, putting Yao's fire out with a well-placed rain storm.

"If you keep doing that, they will never learn. GILBERT! What are you doing?"

Gilbert was shaping his fire into a bird. It flew out of his hand and around the room twice. All stared as it vanished. "I'm awesome!" Gilbert shouted.

"Note to self, Gilbert is a fire mage. Alfred, do you mind walking around trying to find what everybody's specialties are? Everybody, listen up! Gilbert, go sit in the corner until I call for fire mages. Greece, Canada, I need you to stand by that wall and wait until I need wild mages. I'm the only dark mage that I know of here so far and Alfred is the only weather mage here so far."

"Weather mage?" Alfred asked.

"Most mages are limited to one element of the weather, like Gilbert over there. Very few can control all aspects like you."

"Ivan is a limited weather mage." Alfred said suddenly. "His is the wind, and is strongest in winter."

"Air mage? Brilliant. Can you feel any more limited weather mages?"

"You and Natalya are dark mages. Gilbert, Romano, Yao and Elizabeta are fire mages. Ludwig is a fire and water mage."

"Fire and water?"

Gilbert stared at Alfred as he said "Yes, he is primarily water but he was fire in his younger days. Roderich and Kiku and Ukraine are water mages. The three Baltics are wind mages also."

"Thank you, Alfred. We met back here tomorrow."

"Wait, Feliciano is a light mage."

"Still, we meet back here tomorrow for our next lesson."


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N. I forgot Francis and Antonio. Okay, Antonio is fire and wind. Francis is an Earth mage.**

The next day, Alfred polished Texas repeatedly as Arthur sent the wind mages over to him.

"Right, wind mages, including you, Antonio, go over to Alfred for your first lesson. Fire mages, sit in that corner and try to practice summoning fire. Water mages, in the opposite corner, try playing with the water in your water bottles. Ludwig, sit in between the groups and work on both. Feliciano, sit by the window and get adjusted to the sunlight. Wild mages, just do whatever you normally do. NO, DON'T GO TO SLEEP! Frog, go play in the mud. Natalya, you're with me."

"But Angleterre, I'll get my clothes all dirty."

"That's what you get for being an Earth mage."

Alfred laughed at the banter between his two father figures as Ivan, Antonio and the three Baltic nations approached him.

"Alfred?"

"Right! Today we make tornadoes!"

"We don't even know how to summon the wind?"

"Oh, I didn't think of that." Suddenly a huge gust of wind blew into the room, putting out the fires the fire mages had. There were groans from that corner.

"Thank you, Ivan."

"That wasn't me, da."

Raivis trembled against the force of the wind pushing on him. Toris closed his eyes and mentally grabbed some of it from his control. Eduard lent a helping hand. The wind was now under the control of the three.

"Now, close your eyes and take little stands of it by feeling them with your mind. If it helps you, although you can feel the wind, you can color the wind by picturing it whatever color you choose. Ivan, dear, you have enough now."

Their eyes open to see Ivan's hand covered with a purple layer.

"Now grab the stands again and twirl them together. If it helps to do it with your hand, then do so. Spain, you can't mix elements just yet. Very good, Estonia."

They practiced for a while until Arthur called for the water mages to switch with the wind mages. Feliks, who arrived late, and was determined to be a plant mage, glared at Raivis while he helped Toris with his miniature tornado.

"Spain, what were you told about mixing elements?"

"To not to."

"Exactly."

Alfred turned to his students, teaching them to call water from their bottles. Next he worked with the fire mages, then with Feliciano and finally Francis.

The weeks flew by, each person got better and better. Eventually there were mock fights between two or more people.

"Let's try these mock fights. The setting is a dark alleyway. Alfred and Ivan are on their way home. They are ambushed by Elizabeta, Feliks and Antonio."

The lights dim, Alfred summons a small ball of light to show the way. Suddenly, vines wrap around their feet. Feliks was at work. Elizabeta appeared, throwing fire balls at them. Alfred stopped them in mid-air with small isolated showers. Antonio came at them with a tornado. Ivan gripped each end and untwirled the monster. The fight carried on like that for a while.

"Now, Natalya happens across the fight and decides to intervene, by taking them all down."

They stop fighting each other and combine forces as Natalya advances on them, marking her presence by snuffing Alfred's ball of light. Alfred swore and tried to call another, but is blocked. Feliks retracted his vines from the two and they cling to her, only to be devoured by a torrent of darkness. A ball of energy hits the Pole in the chest, knocking him out. She turns on Alfred. The battle that arises was complicated, light and darkness entwining and disentangling. At one point, Natalya had her guard down and Alfred took the chance to hit her with a streak of fire. Natalya combined the fire with her next shot, taking Alfred out. Elizabeta and Ivan came at her next, her fire being directed by him. It didn't take long for the two to be taken down. She circled Antonio. He sent a fiery tornado at her. She sent it back, they played a game of sending it back and forwards for a while until she caught him off-guard, sending him to the ground, knocked out.

"Very well done." Arthur woke everybody up. "Let's go home for the day."


End file.
